Computers Articles

Cheat Sheet / Updated 05-08-2023

Whether you’ve purchased a new Mac with macOS Ventura pre-installed or you’ve upgraded from a previous version of macOS, you’ll find that Ventura makes your computer easier to use and offers myriad improvements to make you more productive. This Cheat Sheet includes information on things you should never do to your Mac; a compendium of useful and timesaving keyboard shortcuts; recommendations for backing up data; and website recommendations for smart Ventura users.

Step by Step / Updated 05-03-2023

Setting up a firewall is an effective way to protect your computer from outside cyber attackers and malicious software. But keep in mind that by setting up a firewall, you are changing the way your computer communicates with other computers on the Internet. The firewall blocks all incoming communications unless you set up a specific inbound exception in the Windows firewall to let a program in. Some of your programs won’t respond until they receive a signal via the Internet. If you have a program that doesn’t poke its own hole through the Windows Firewall, you can tell the firewall to allow packets destined for that specific program — and only that program — in through the firewall.

Article / Updated 05-03-2023

You may want to consider establishing automatic investment programs to save for your retirement. Several automatic savings programs may be available to you. You need to determine how much you can direct to each of these automatic plans. Here’s how you do it: Make sure that you’re taking full advantage of any employer matching contribution for which you may be eligible with your company’s retirement plan. Contribute the maximum amount that the employer will match. If eligible, make the maximum contributions to your and your spouse’s (if applicable) Roth IRA accounts each year; take your contributions automatically out of your checking account each month. A Roth IRA is the best retirement funding vehicle — from a tax standpoint — ever! Although you don’t get a deduction when you contribute to a Roth IRA, all the earnings and withdrawals on the account are tax-free forever. You can establish a Roth IRA account at most banks, through investment advisors, or directly with a low-cost, no-load mutual fund company like Vanguard or a deep discount broker like Scottrade or ShareBuilder. Making monthly contributions is much easier than coming up with the whole year’s contribution at once. You can set up direct automatic investments from your checking account into your Roth IRA account. Build your personal portfolio with low-cost, tax-advantaged-passive investment vehicles, such as exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and index funds. You need to have investments that you can tap into if needed prior to retirement. Also, when you retire and pull money out of your retirement account, 100 percent of that withdrawal is taxable to you as ordinary income. Capital gains tax rates are much lower. You may be much better off from a tax standpoint to pay minimal capital gains now rather than the tax for ordinary income in the future. Index funds are a way individual investors can own the stock market that you hear about on the news, such as the Standard and Poor 500 Composite Index (S&P 500, for short). Index funds have been available through no-load mutual fund powerhouses like Vanguard for decades. However, the range of options now available has exploded in the last few years. You can now buy an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that invests exclusively in United States Treasury Inflation Protection Securities. Rather than buying one bond for $10,000, you can literally buy one share of an ETF, which trades like stocks, incurring a transaction fee to buy or sell shares. And with the advent of deep-discount online brokerage firms, you now can afford to make monthly purchases of exchange-traded funds. Which automatic savings programs are available to you, and how much can you direct to each of these automatic plans? Use the Making Your Investments Automatic Worksheet to put these steps in action. Click here to download and print the Making Your Investments Automatic worksheet.

Article / Updated 04-25-2023

Investing appears to be complicated and complex. But if you can take some relatively simple concepts to heart and adhere to them, you can greatly increase your success. Here are ten time-tested principles of investing success. Following these principles will pay you big dividends (and capital gains) for many years to come. Regularly save and invest 5 percent to 10 percent of your income Unless you enjoy a large inheritance, you should consistently save 5 percent to 10 percent of the money you’re earning. When should you start doing this? As soon as you begin earning money on a regular basis. Preferably, invest through a retirement savings account to reduce your taxes and ensure your future financial independence. You can reduce both your current federal and state income tax bills (on the contributions) as well as these ongoing bills (on the investment earnings). The exact portion of your income you should be saving is driven by your goals and by your current financial assets and liabilities. Take the time to crunch some numbers to determine how much you should be saving monthly. Understand and use your employee benefits The larger the employer, the more likely it is to offer avenues for you to invest conveniently through payroll deduction, and with possible tax benefits and discounts. Some companies enable you to buy company stock at a reduced price. Often, the most valuable benefit you have is a retirement savings plan, such as a 401(k) plan that enables you to make contributions and save on your current income taxation. Also, after the money is in the account, it can compound and grow over the years and decades without taxation. If you’re self-employed, be sure to establish and use a retirement plan. Also take time to learn about the best investment options available to you — and use them. Thoroughly research before you invest The allure of large expected returns too often is the enticement that gets novices hooked on a particular investment. That’s a whole lot more appealing than researching an investment. But research you must if you want to make an informed decision. Be sure you understand what you’re investing in. Don’t purchase any financial product that you don’t understand. Ask questions and compare what you’re being offered with the best sources I recommend. Beware of purchasing an investment on the basis of an advertisement or a salesperson’s solicitation. Shun investments with high commissions and expenses The cost of the investments you buy is an important variable you can control. All fees must be disclosed in a prospectus, which you should always review before making any investment. Companies that sell their investment products through aggressive sales techniques generally have the worst financial products and the highest fees and commissions. Invest the majority of your long-term money in ownership investments When you’re young, you have plenty of time to let your investments compound and grow. Likewise, you have time to recover from setbacks. So with your long-term money, focus on investments that have appreciation potential, such as stocks, real estate, and your own business. When you invest in bonds or bank accounts, you’re simply lending your money to others and will earn a return that probably won’t keep you ahead of inflation and taxes. Avoid making emotionally based financial decisions Successful investors keep their composure when the going gets tough. You need the ability and wisdom to look beyond the current environment, understanding that it will change in the months and years ahead. You don’t want to panic and sell your stock holdings after a major market correction, for example. In fact, you should consider such an event to be a buying opportunity for stocks. Be especially careful about making important financial decisions after a major life change, such as marriage, the birth of a child, a divorce, job loss, or a death in your family. Make investing decisions based on your plans and needs Your investment decisions should come out of your planning and your overall needs, goals, and desires. This requires looking at your overall financial situation first and then coming up with a comprehensive plan. Don’t be swayed and influenced by the predictive advice offered by various investment pundits or the latest news headlines and concerns. Trust that you know yourself and your financial situation better than anyone else does. Tap information sources with high-quality standards You need to pare down the sources you use to keep up with investing news and the financial markets. Give priority to those that aren’t afraid to take a stand and recommend what’s in your best interests. The public clearly has an appetite for opinion shows; on the political left, you have programs on CNN and MSNBC. On the political right, FOX has some popular conservative opinion shows. Political partisans distort the news rather than report the news, and they prevent you from better understanding what’s really going on so you can make informed decisions. Political partisans overstate the impact that the president and others can have over our economy and financial markets. Stay away from outlets that cater to advertisers or are driven by an ideological agenda. Trust yourself first Look in the mirror. You’ll see the best financial person you can hire and trust. What may be missing is enough education and confidence to make more and better decisions on your own, which this book can assist you with doing. If you need help making a major decision, hire conflict-free advisors who charge a fee for their time. Work in partnership with advisors. Never turn over or abdicate control. Invest in yourself and others Don’t get so wrapped up in making, saving, and investing money that you lose sight of what matters most to you. Invest in your education, your health, and your relationships with family members and friends. Having a lot of money isn’t worth much if you don’t have your health and people with whom to share your life. Give your time and money to causes that better our society and our world.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-14-2023

The Chromebook is designed to rely heavily on the Internet for most of its functionality. Instead of a large hard drive, Chromebook relies primarily on cloud-based storage. In place of many resident applications, Chromebook uses web-based applications that you access through the Google Web Store and Google Play Store. Because so many functions are obscure, some Chromebook settings — such as cloud printing, email vacation responders, and function keys — can be a little challenging to set up or use. This Cheat Sheet shows you how to take advantage of these functions and shortcut keys.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 01-06-2023

Macs come in all shapes and sizes, but you turn all of them on and off, and do things with the keyboard and mouse or trackpad the same way. This Cheat Sheet of timesaving keyboard shortcuts, mouse and trackpad actions, Mac-related websites, and definitions can help you get the most from your Mac right away.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 12-08-2022

Laptops offer a world of convenience for seniors, but they can be a little intimidating, too. To get started off right, see this checklist for what to look for before buying your laptop. After you’ve purchased your laptop, follow these care and maintenance tips to prolong its life. To round out your experience, here are some handy keyboard shortcuts for getting things done fast in Windows.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 11-15-2022

Whether you’ve purchased a new Mac with macOS Monterey pre-installed or you’ve upgraded from a previous version of macOS, you’ll find that Monterey makes your Mac easier to use and offers myriad improvements to make you more productive. This Cheat Sheet includes information on things you should never do to your Mac; a compendium of useful and timesaving keyboard shortcuts; a discussion of when folders are too full and when (and when not) to create subfolders; recommendations for backing up data; and a short discussion of iDevices and Continuity.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 11-01-2022

Linux can fulfill almost any need you have for the operating system on a desktop computer, but you must be able to tell it what you want to do in a way that it understands. You need to know common commands and how to access the help pages.

Article / Updated 08-16-2022

The only time you need to restore a system image on your Windows PC is when the entire hard drive is dead, missing, or replaced with a cheese sandwich. With all that data gone, you have to rely upon three items: A recovery volume: Use this media to start the PC and access the Windows Recovery Environment. The tools presented help you navigate through recovery. The system image: Use this information to restore Windows and other partitions as a base to rebuild your computer system. Tools on the recovery volume help you use the system image information. File History: Finally, with Windows restored, you run the File History program to recover your PC's lost files and programs. You don't need to restore a system image if you merely need to recover from a Windows disaster. The first thing you should try is System Restore. Second, you can try to reset the PC. Otherwise, the process of using the system image works like this: Start the PC by using the Windows Recovery Environment. Choose Troubleshoot. Choose Advanced Options. Choose System Image Recovery. Point the system image recovery tool at the location of the system image files, and then sit back and wait as the system is rebuilt. Yes, the process is more complex than four simple steps. For example, you may need a replacement hard drive. The good news is that you have the system image if you need it. Along with a recent backup, you can fully restore your system no matter what happens to the computer.